Key duplicator



y 1939- D. B. WILLOCK 2,167,341

DUPLICATOR Filed April 1, 1937 INVENTQR.

Jim/1 m,

m ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 25, 1939.

PATENT OFFICE r I 7 KEY DUPLICATOR David B. Willock, Kansas City, Mo. Application April 1, 1937, Serial No. 134,241 6 Claims. (01. 29-76) My invention relates to" improvements in key duplicators. i

a It relates particularly to an apparatus adapted for duplicating keys the blades or bits of which have notched edges, such as keys for cylinder locks.

It is adapted for use in connection with a manually operated cutting implement, such as a file. one of the objects of my invention is the provision in an apparatus of the kind described of novel means for guiding and limiting the cutting action of the cutting implement.

Another object of my'i'nventiori is the provi si'oh'of anovel carriage for supporting the impleflrrient guidirig and limiting means and the guide wlflch cooperates witli the pattern from which the blank key is ccpied. 7 Still another object of my invention is the provision of nova means for properly positioning the blank to be outwith reference to the pattern.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a key duplicator of the kind described which is simple, cheap, strong, durable, not likely to get out of order, which is efilcient in its operai tion, and with which an unskilled person can easily and quickly duplicate a key.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed:

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates =i=the preferred form; of my invention,

Fig. 1 is 'a plan view of my improved key dupli- I Fig. 2 isa front View, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section. Fig. 3 is an end elevation, partly broken away, of the apparatus. v

Fig. 4 is a front view, partly broken away, showing the carriagemove'd from the position in which it isshown inFig, 2. Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of the pattern guide. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the pattern clamping member.

Similar characters of reference designate simi larparts in the different views.

The duplicator isprovided with asupport comprising a rectangular base I from the rear corners of which respectively upwardly extend two posts 2 between which and supported by them is a horizontal bar 3 on which is slidably and -pivotally mounted the rear portion of a carriage Means forclamping a pattern key 5,0f a common Ya-lei type having in one edge or its blade t serr'ations or notches "I, consists oi a rectanguillla r' plate 8 having in its upper edge and rear side a longitudinal grooves adapted toreceive therein and hold edge up the blade 6 of the pattern. Two screws It extending through the plate 8' and respectivelyfitted in threaded holes in the front edge of the base I, hold the plate 8 clamped to the pattern and the latter clamped to the base I, with the serrated upper edge of the blade 6 parallel with the carriage supporting bar 3. i

A pattern guide comprising a rod II, square in 10 1' cross section, is fastened rigidly to the under side of the carriage 4-by a plate I2 secured to the carriage by a screw I3, Fig. 3. The guide I! is disposed so as to extend over the bladeli on the upper edgeof which it is adapted to rest with 5 its lower longitudinal corner portion disposed in the notch I that isto be cut at the time corresporidingly in theblade of the key blank.

The key blank It is mounted in a groove I5 in the upper edge and rear side of a plate i8, 20

which is fastened by two screws El, directly above the-plate 8, to the front side of a bar I8, which is parallel with the bar 3, and which is disposed and is vertically longitudinally adjustable in two recesses I9 provided respectively inthe front sides 25 of two front corner posts 20 on the base I.

For adjusting the bar It lengthwise it has bearing respectively against its ends two screws 2| respectively fitted in, threaded holes in the posts 20. For raising respectively the ends, of 30 the bar I8, it has fitted in vertical threaded holes extending through it, two screws 22, the lower ends of whichbear on the posts 26 respectively. The screws 22 respectively extend upwardly through two slots 23 in theupper ends of the 35 posts 213 above the recesses I9. These slots per- .mit the screws 22 to. be moved with the bar It when it is adjusted lengthwise.

For limitingthe upward rnoverrient of the bar I8, it has bearing on its upper edge the lower ends 40 of two screws 2 respectively fitted in vertical threadedhole's extending through the upper ends of the posts 213 to the recesses I9 respectively.

Two screws 25 respectively extend through two holes 26, larger in'diameter than the shanks-of the screws 2 5, and are respectively fitted in two horizontal holesprovided in the posts For guiding and limiting the cutting movement of a linearly reciprocative' cutting implement,

such as a'file' 2l,'sh'own in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and in solid lines in 'cross section in Fig. 4, means are provided which preferably comprise two guiding rollers 28' which" are respectively rotatabl y mounted on the carr'iage-t at the front and rear of the bar I8 and of the blade of the blank I i.

Each of the rollers 28 is rotatable on an axis parallel with the bar 3, and each is provided with an annular right angled peripheral groove which alines with the groove of the other roller transversely to the blade of the blank M. The file 27 is of a form adapting it to fit in the grooves, designated by 28, in the rollers 28. The bottoms of the grooves 29 are in a vertical plane which longitudinally bisects the pattern guide i i.

The file Z'I, when disposed in the grooves 29 of the rollers 28, is guided by the latter, so as to be disposed in the same vertical plane as the pattern guide II, so that when the pattern guide IE is disposed in a groove 1 of the pattern key 5, the file 2?, when operated, will cut a corresponding groove in the upper edge of the blade of the blank M. The clamping plates 8 and it are disposed so that the blank I4 is held above and coincides in position with the pattern key 5.

The grooves in the blank I4 are consecutively cut to correspond with the notches or serrations I in the pattern key blade 6, the bottoms of the grooves 29 of the rollers 28 limiting the downward cutting of the file 21 into the blade of the blank I i.

As the grooves or notches are cut consecutively in the blade of the blank I4, the carriage is moved along on the rod or bar 3, so that the pattern guide i i can consecutively enter the notches l of the pattern key blade 6. As the carriage 4 is hinged on a horizontal axis on the bar 3, it can be swung upwardly and downwardly to fchange the pattern guide I I from notch to notch in the pattern blade 6.

In operation, the pattern key 5 is clamped by the plate 8, with the notched edge of the blade 6 up, against the base I. The blank I d is then clamped edge up, as shown, by the plate I6 against the bar I8. The screws 2i, 22 and 2d are then adjusted so as to properly position the blank M with respect to the pattern key 5 after which the screws 25 are tightened so as to hold the bar I8 in the adjusted position.

The carriage 4 is then moved to position the pattern guide I I in one of the notches l of the blade '5 of the pattern key. The operator then disposes the file 27 with one longitudinal edge resting on the upper edge of the blade of the blank I 3 in the grooves 29 of the rollers and files a notch in the blank, the rollers 28 guiding the file and limiting its downward movement to make the notch cut thereby correspond in depth and shape to the notch in the pattern key containing the pattern guide II.

By having the blank supporting member 58 adjustable lengthwise and vertically and laterally at each end it is adapted for holding and properly positioning a key blank I4, that is quite dissimilar in form from the pattern key 5. This is very advantageous because keys of difierent manufacturers vary considerably in form for a like type of key, and the person duplicating the key may not have at hand a blank corresponding to the key to be duplicated. With the adjustment provided for the blank supporting member I3, the operator can quickly mount the blank and have it held firmly in correspondence with the key 5.

By having the key blank supporting means disposed above and parallel with the blade of the pattern, looseness between the carriage and the bar 3 on which it slides and turns, which enables the carriage to twist laterally, has a minimum of detrimental effect. As the guide II supports the carriage on the pattern key 5, and the middles of the file guiding rollers 28 are in the vertical plane of the guide I I, any lateral movement of the file guiding rollers due to looseness will substantially parallel with the upper edge of the blank Id, and will not increase the depth of the file cut to any appreciable degree,,and the file will cut a proper duplicate of the pattern key. What I claim is: a 1. In a key duplicator, a base, means thereon for holding a pattern and a key blank one above ,the other with their blades parallel, and disposed horizontally, a carriage horizontally reciprocative on said base and hinged thereto on a horizontal axis, a guide on said carriage disposed so as to be adapted to rest on the blade of said pattern, and means on said carriage for supporting and guiding a linearly reciprocative cutting instrument across and for limiting its downward movement into the blade of said blank. 7

2. In a key duplicator, a base, means thereon for holding a pattern and a key blank one above the other with their blades parallel and disposed edge up horizontally, a carriage horizontally reciprocative on said base and hinged thereto on a horizontal axis, a guide on said carriage disposed 1 so as to be adapted to rest on the upper edge of the blade of; said pattern, and two peripherally grooved guiding rollers rotatable on said carriage at opposite sides respectively of the blade of said blank and having their grooves transversely alined to said blade of said blank and adapted to receive and to guide a cutting instrument across the upper edge of the blade of said blank and limit the downward movement of said instrument into the blade of said blank.

3. In a key duplicator, a base, means thereon for holding a pattern having a blade with a serrated edge disposed edge up, means on said base for holding a key blank with its blade disposed above and parallel with the blade of said pattern and having its edge to be cut facing upwardly, a carriage reciprocative on said base parallel with the blade of said pattern and hinged to said base so as to swing transversely to its direction of movement on said base, a guide on said carriage disposed so as to be adapted to rest on said serrated edge, and means on said carriage for guiding a linearly reciprocative cutting instrument across and for supporting and limiting its movement into the upper edge of the blade of said blank. 7

4. In a key duplicator, a base, means thereon for holding a pattern having a blade with a serrated edge disposed horizontally edge up, means on said base for holding a key blank with its blade disposed. edge up above and parallel with the blade of said pattern, a carriage reciprocative on said base parallel with the blade of said pattern and hinged to said base so as to swing transverselyto its line of movement on said base, a guide on said carriage disposed so as to rest on said serrated edge, and means on said carriage at opposite sides of said blank holding means for guiding a cutting implement across and for limiting its downward movement into the upper edge of the blade of said blank.

5. In a key duplicator, a base, means thereon for holding the blade of a pattern with its serrated edge up, a member on said base parallel with said blade adjustable horizontally lengthwise and vertically at each end and having means for holding a key blank above and with its upper edge parallel with said blade, a carriage reciprocative on said base parallel with said blade and hinged to said base so as to swing transversely to said blade, a guide on said carriage disposed so as to be adapted to rest on said serrated edge, and two peripherally grooved guiding rollers r0- tatably mounted on said carriage at opposite sides respectively of said key blank holding means and having their grooves alined and adapted to "receive and guide a cutting implement transversely across and limit its movement downwardly into the upper edge of said blank.

6. In a key duplicator, a base, means for supporting edge up thereon a pattern, acarriage reciprocative on said base and hinged thereto to swing transversely to said pattern, a pattern guide carried by said carriage and disposed so as to be adapted to rest on said pattern, a member adjustable lengthwise and adjustable at each end vertically and horizontally on said base for supporting a blank to be cut in proper relation to said pattern,- and means for guiding a cutting implement transversely across and in contact with said blade and for limiting its cutting movement downwardly into said blank in conformity with the disposition of said pattern guide on said pattern.

DAVID B. WILLOCK. 

